Best Small Art Town in America

Naples has the distinction of having been named The Best Small Art Town in America...and for sure, this past weekend's activities proved once again why this honor was bestowed upon our special little town...For a glimpse of some of the things that went on around Naples--and most especially on the street right outside The Coldwell Banker Previews office on 5th Avenue South: Naples Main street, please click HERE!

*You can click on the photo inset to enlarge!

Thanks and make it a GREAT day,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger!

Get Motivated!

Yesterday, I joined the nearly 5 million people who have experienced the largest, longest lasting, and most successful business seminars in North America! Reported to be best seminar of its kind by Time, People, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Get Motivated Seminars have also been featured on CNN, 60 Minutes, 20/20 and on radio and television shows around the globe. It is a proved fact that motivated people are happier, more successful and healthier than their unmotivated counterparts. The list of speakers from the days lineup included Rudy Giuliani, Laura Bush, Lou Holtz and Colin Powell. I thought I would share some of the highlights that I took away from the program.

The first speaker was Rick Belluzzo. Rick is a former Microsoft President. His main topic was, Embracing Change as Opportunity. He said, "We have to re-invent ourselves many times, especially in a time of rapid change, as the one we are in right now." He also stressed the importance of taking on tough assignments, being open to feedback, being confidant yet humble, but above all else-keeping integrity as the #1 driving force in the success of your life. Ask yourself in each situation, "What is the right thing to do?" His one quote which i particularly liked was to be "hard headed and soft hearted." He said it was a saying his immigrant father taught him many years ago.

The next speaker was America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani. He spoke poignantly of his experience in the days, weeks and months that followed 911. Although his speech was about The Courage to Lead, he gave all the credit to the many heroes that came forth that day. He said he had never before witnessed such courage...He stressed the greatness of America lies in each citizen to be an individual thinker. He listed several practices which help him each day to be a better leader, but one in particular stands out to me: The importance for us to debate and discuss our ideas. For him, it helps to be ready for criticism, it re-establishes his beliefs, it makes him more open to new ideas, and it creates tolerance and in the end: unity. Probably my favorite Rudy quote of the day was, "Don't worry about the polls." I take from this that at times a leader must do what may not necessarily is the most popular thing to do, but it usually is the best thing to do.

The next 4 speakers were 'lesser knowns" but each had something beneficial to share with the audience. Krish Dhanam, perhaps the most dynamic speaker of the day, gave a patriotic speech that left much of the audience on their feet. Born in South India, Krish has achieved the American Dream. He spoke primarily about goal setting, and his one quote that truly resonated with me was actually attributed to someone else, but none the less, I loved it: "In times of change, the learners will inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to work in a world that no longer exists." He also said that most people react to what they see rather than doing what they believe in...Zig Ziglar was unable to attend due to health concerns but his daughter Julie graciously stood in for her father. Her talk was short and sweet and was accompanied by a video clip of some the highlights of her dad's career. Zig is perhaps the granddaddy of motivational speakers, and yet it was this very lovely quote that I liked best, "Wake your children up quietly-it will make for a peaceful day." She told of how each day her dad would kiss her good morning and say, "Good morning, you're going to have a great day, your friends are going to be so happy to see you, and you are going to get great grades." Julie's account of this morning ritual effected me as much as anything else spoken during the day. There were a couple of guest speakers that outlined ways to make money both in the stock market and real estate. Really too much information to blog about here, but I will be getting a book by Peter Lynch, One Up On Wall Street, as I have always wanted to better understand the Stock Market. A few statistics that struck me are: 1.) 89% of the people who make $50,000 or more each year are self-employed. 2.) 1 of 3 retirees earn less than $900. per month. 3.) Only 3% of Americans will retire at an equal or greater level of income than when they worked. 4.) Our country spends more money on coffee and soft drinks than college educations. WOW!

Laura Bush was the only speaker of the day that I did not take notes. I just sat and listened, and remembered how that calming voice soothed a nation during its darkest days. She was poised, funny, articulate...I would simply describe her as a Class Act...and regardless of what ones personal political persuasion is, I would find it very hard to believe if anyone sat through her talk with a dry eye. She made us laugh, she made us cry, she made us think.

General Colin Powell was great! You can tell that retirement suits him. He spoke of being born an analog and living in a digital world...he joked about how his grandkids have him on Facebook and Twitter [I have already 'friended' him and am now 'following' him]...He shared with us stories about how easy it is to 'touch' human beings, the simplest of which is hand written thank you notes...He said the quote that best represents what makes him who he is, is: "Follow Me." With that said, he listed the following characteristics and steps he takes which make him a leader worth following: 1.) Set the course, set goals 2.) Direct the mission 3.) Have a purpose, and always make it positive 4.) Inspire 5.) Recognize those who deserve credit.

Last, but not least was Lou Holtz. I have heard Lou speak several times before, and I never leave his talks without being motivated. His whole philosophy in life is, "Change your attitude, improve your game." This is what stood out to me yesterday: To be successful you must add value to people's lives. He motivated football players and won national championships with these three simple sayings: Always do what's right, Do everything to the best of your ability, and Always make sure people know you care! He also said that in both personal and business relationships one should ask these three questions: 1) Can I trust you? 2.) Are you committed to excellence? 3.) Do you care about me?

Well, I hope this helped to motivate you...I know I'm excited to make a positive difference in your day today!

Thank you,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

"Mansion In The Sky"

Now being offered at $2,195,000!

We just had a huge price adjustment at this exquisite Le Ciel Park Tower residence. One of the most prestigious addresses along Naples eminent Park Shore beach. The views from this 14th floor "mansion in the sky" are breathtaking!

The 3,145 sq ft condo features 3 spacious bedrooms, 3 baths, an updated granite kitchen, gorgeous brand new hardwood floors, expansive screened terrace with built in grill, Bahama shutters, and 2 under-building parking spaces.

The building boasts 24/7 gated security, a magnificent Gulf-front social room, state-of-the art fitness center, 2 Har-Tru tennis courts, 2 suites for guests, and a fabulous parkside pool, spa, chickee & grills! You can lease or purchase a boat slip at nearby Venetian Bay Yacht Club and The Venetian Bay shoppes and restaurants are a short stroll away. Of course, best of all: the pristine white sand beach and meandering promenade of Park Shore are at your doorstep!

This is the Florida lifestyle you dream about. Please call us today if you or someone you know would love to make this view your own! For a private showing, or for more information about this fabulous listing The Harris Peppe Team direct line is: 239.370.0574 or email us today for a complete list of what is available with your specifications and price range!

Thank you and make it a great day,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

Naples Real Estate Statistics

2011 is off to a fast start!

Sorry for the delay in reporting the *year-end results...It's not for lack of what to blog about, trust me...We've just been very busy, and the days just seem to slip by. Looking back over last year's blog post, it is obvious we are experiencing a constant trend that promises to show more signs of improvement in both the low end and the luxury price points this year. I predict we are in for the busiest season we have seen in five years. Several factors indicate that we are at or near the bottom. However, not every community has hit the bottom. Keep in mind, not only is real estate 'local', but also within a town like Naples, each neighborhood has its own personality and market conditions. Three things which I believe are still impacting our local market are: Inventory, Interest Rates, and Pent Up Demand.

INVENTORY:

Last year at this time, inventory of active residential listings per the Naples MLS was at 7,946. Presently there are 8,222 active residential listings, a slight increase, but still well below the peak of a few years years back by nearly a 38% decrease. Of those homes and condos listed in Naples 1,359 are Previews Properties [those listed at or above $1 million], and 3,997 are listed at or below $300,000.

Here are some more specific stats: Total residential units closed in 2009: 7014 Total residential units closed in 2010: 7,848 Total closed sales in 2009 of $1 million+ homes and condos: 475 [6.7%] Total closed sales in 2010 of $1 million+ homes and condos: 605 [7.7%] Total closed sales in 2009 of $300,000 or less: 4,836 [68.9%] Total closed sales in 2010 of $300,000 or less: 5,328 [67.8%]

Clearly, the "under $300,000" price point is still the driving force behind the recovery in the Naples area. Presently, this price point only consists of approximately 49% of the current active residential listings, which in my opinion means there is less to choose from in the most popular price range. This in turn will begin to have a 'trickle up' effect, as those homes which may have been listed at $299,000 last season may now be able to list at a higher price, depending on the competition in their given neighborhood.

Here are a few more interesting stats from the past year:

The Residential Median Sold Price for 2010: $180,992. The 2 Year Residential Median Sold Price: $179,523. The Residential Average Sold price for 2010: $370,872. The 2 Year Residential Average Sold Price: $361,892.

It is also interesting to look at the different geographic areas in Naples. Our MLS is divided into Geo Areas such as NA 05 is the Crayton Road Area, NA 06 is Old Naples, NA 07 includes Aqualane Shores, Port Royal and the surrounds, NA 08 encompasses Windstar as well as The Royal Harbor area and surrounding waterfront communities of Oyster bay and Golden Shores.

Here are a few statistics about some of these neighborhoods that I found interesting:

Port Royal had 29 sales in 2009, and was one of our shining stars with 38 closed sales in 2010. The average closed sale price in Port Royal in 2009 was $4,818,448. The highest closed sale in MLS was for $14,135,000. In 2010 the average closed sale price in Port Royal was $6,681,368. and there were 4 sales over $20 million!

The **Royal Harbor Area was not as brilliant. After consistently closing an average of 42 homes since 2000, the Royal Harbor Area peaked in 2005 with 58 closings. The very next year saw one of the worst downturns in Naples with only 9 MLS sales recorded. Royal Harbor bounced back somewhat in 2009 with 30 closed sales and an average sold price of $1,408,405. up from the average sold price of $1,281,950 of 2008. Last year in 2010 there were 23 closed sales and the average sold price decreased to $1,059,978.

INTEREST RATES:

Banks continue with stricter lending criteria, however mortgage rates remain low and there are some excellent programs out there. I invite you to call Kelly Rebimbus at Sunbelt Lending if you have any questions, or if you'd like to get pre-qualified before beginning your Naples home buying search. Her direct line is: 239.273.5239. By the way, CASH transactions out numbered Conventional Financed purchases 3 to 1 at our office.

PENT UP DEMAND:

Our phones are ringing off the hook! Walk-ins at our prestigious 5th Avenue South address are up! Internet inquiries, up! Rental bookings? You got it, up! The Naples market appeals to 2nd home buyers. This is a very attractive place for so many reasons, and our snowbirds are here, enjoying the warmer climate and all the other natural and cultural amenities that Naples has to offer. They are also looking at Naples Real Estate! In the next 10 years there will be over 35 million baby boomers turning 60 in this country. That is a huge source of buyers who could potentially be relocating to Southwest Florida. In addition, our European and Canadian friends are back, more confident than ever in the Florida real estate investment.

There is a lot of good news. Please do not hesitate to call us personally, or to refer someone you know who might be interested in receiving more detailed information about our beautiful little city. Our direct number is: 239.370.0574 or we would love to mail you a complete Welcome to Naples package!

Thanks, and make it a great year!

The Naples Real estate Blogger

*All data is derived from the local Sunshine MLS and includes residential single family homes and condominiums in the Naples Geo Areas is deemed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

** The Royal Harbor Area statistics include Oyster Bay and Golden Shores